John Heywood

John Heywood (c. 1497–c. 1580) was an English playwright and poet of the Tudor period, best known for witty interludes and collections of epigrams. Active in the first half of the 16th century, he wrote popular stage pieces such as *The Four P’s*, which showcase comic debate, wordplay, and satirical observation. Heywood was connected with the royal court and performed or wrote for courtly audiences during the reign of Henry VIII, and he later enjoyed patronage under Mary I. His work helped shape early English secular drama, bridging medieval traditions and the developing Renaissance theatre.